Bradford Forster Square 4th Platform Funding Announced: what improvements would you like to see made?

[Bantamzen]

Taken from Bradford's local paper the Telegraph & Argus today (30/01/24):

Bradford station to get extra platform and more London trains in new £24m investment

BRADFORD Forster Square station will get an extra platform and up to five extra London services a day thanks to a £24m Government investment.

www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk

BRADFORD Forster Square station will get an extra platform and up to five extra London services a day thanks to a £24m Government investment.

The Department for Transport has today announced the funding for the city centre station, which will likely triple the number of trains between the city and the capital in time for Bradford’s City of Culture year.

Rail Minister Huw Merriman will visit the station this afternoon during a visit to the city where he will also discuss plans for a new station on the St James Market site.

Mr Merriman revealed the latest investment in the city, and said the platform will “reduce delays and futureproof the station for generations to come.”

The new platform will ease congestion and improve access into the city for passengers, commuters and tourists.

Once complete – and subject to future funding decisions - this could result in an extra five LNER services a day, more than tripling the current provision.

Mr Merriman said: “Bradford is benefitting from serious investment in rail infrastructure, with £24m towards a new platform for Forster Square Station helping to improve rail journeys, increase rail services and better connect passengers.

“This investment follows £2bn for Bradford to better connect the city including with a new station and to facilitate faster rail journeys to Manchester via Huddersfield as part of our Network North plan, with further funding recently announced to help with the planning work for that station – demonstrating this Government’s plan to invest in rail infrastructure in the region.”

Bradford Council Leader Susan Hinchcliffe has been lobbying Government and Network rail for more Bradford to London services in time for Bradford’s 2025 City of Culture celebrations.

The Government’s £36 billion Network North plan to improve local transport connections included £2 billion to provide a new station at Bradford and a new connection to improve journey times from the city to Manchester via Huddersfield.

Today’s meeting between the minister and Council bosses follows £400,000 committed to the Bradford in November to accelerate the council’s masterplans for the new station, which will see it become ‘the King’s Cross of the North’.

Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe, Leader of Bradford Council said: "I’m really pleased we’ve been able to secure this new investment from Government. It’s good to see they now recognise the value of Bradford being better connected to the entire Northern economy. The new platform at Forster Square Station will provide much needed additional capacity and connectivity for Bradford in time for the district’s year as City of Culture in 2025 and for generations to come enabling greater mobility and access to opportunity across the district."

Matt Rice, Route Director for Network Rail’s North & East route, said: “This funding will enable us to deliver extra platform capacity at Bradford Forster Square and allow for improved rail connections for passengers in the future. We look forward to working with the Department for Transport, Bradford Council, and other stakeholders to deliver these upgrades for people travelling to and from the city.”

The announcement comes on top of £500 million previously committed to upgrade and electrify the railway between Bradford and Leeds and a further £2.5bn Network North pledge to support the West Yorkshire Mass Transit System which will improve connections between Leeds and Bradford, Huddersfield and Halifax.

Kerry Peters, regional director for Northern, said: “We welcome this investment and the benefits it will bring to our customers across West Yorkshire. Bradford Forster Square already sees around two million passengers every year and with these developments we look forward to many more in the coming years.”

Warrick Dent, LNER’s Safety & Operations Director, said: “LNER welcomes the news of investment in a new platform at Bradford Forster Square which will allow us to run more trains to and from the city. Our timetable plans will be announced nearer the time, and need approval by the Department for Transport, but we would expect to see a big increase in the number of LNER services.

“It’s particularly exciting that the changes should happen during Bradford City of Culture 2025.”

It will be interesting to see if this does go ahead, completion for the start of 2025 seems wildly ambitious if I'm honest. Frankly just getting those extra LNER services would be a massive step in the right direction!

 

[MichaelTrains]

Great news because it’s desperately needed. The amount of times Northern just double and even triple stack units meaning we have to walk two minutes down the platform to board a service is ridiculous.

 

[Snow1964]

DfT announcement of Bradford Forster Square new platform

Passengers in Bradford are set to benefit from improved rail journeys thanks to a multi-million-pound government funding boost.
In Bradford today (30 January 2024), Rail Minister Huw Merriman revealed the latest investment in the city as he confirmed £24 million towards a new platform at Forster Square Station to reduce delays and futureproof the station for generations to come.
The new platform will ease congestion and improve access into the city for passengers, commuters and tourists.
Once complete – and subject to future funding decisions – this could result in an extra 5 London North Eastern Railway (LNER) services a day, more than tripling the current provision.
Rail Minister, Huw Merriman, said:
Bradford is benefitting from serious investment in rail infrastructure with £24 million towards a new platform for Forster Square Station helping to improve rail journeys, increase rail services and better connect passengers.
This investment follows £2 billion for Bradford to better connect the city, including with a new station, and to facilitate faster rail journeys to Manchester via Huddersfield as part of our Network North plan, with further funding recently announced to help with the planning work for that station – demonstrating this government’s plan to invest in rail infrastructure in the region.
This announcement comes as Bradford prepares to become the UK’s City of Culture in 2025, with the Rail Minister attending a meeting with local leaders and businesses today to discuss plans to deliver a new government-funded station in the city.
The government’s £36 billion Network North plan to improve local transport connections included £2 billion to provide a new station at Bradford and a new connection to improve journey times from the city to Manchester via Huddersfield.
The meeting follows closely on the heels of £400,000 committed to Bradford in November 2023 to accelerate the council’s masterplans for the new station, which will see it become ‘the King’s Cross of the North’.
Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe, Leader of Bradford Council, said:
I’m really pleased we’ve been able to secure this new investment from government. It’s good to see they now recognise the value of Bradford being better connected to the entire Northern economy.
The new platform at Forster Square Station will provide much-needed additional capacity and connectivity for Bradford in time for the district’s year as City of Culture in 2025 and for generations to come, enabling greater mobility and access to opportunity across the district.
Matt Rice, Route Director for Network Rail’s North and East route, said:
This funding will enable us to deliver extra platform capacity at Bradford Forster Square and allow for improved rail connections for passengers in the future.
We look forward to working with the Department for Transport, Bradford Council and other stakeholders to deliver these upgrades for people travelling to and from the city.
The announcement comes on top of £500 million previously committed to upgrade and electrify the railway between Bradford and Leeds and a further £2.5 billion Network North pledge to support the West Yorkshire Mass Transit System, which will improve connections between Leeds and Bradford, Huddersfield and Halifax.
Kerry Peters, Regional Director for Northern, said:
We welcome this investment and the benefits it will bring to our customers across West Yorkshire. Bradford Forster Square already sees around 2 million passengers every year and, with these developments, we look forward to many more in the coming years.
Warrick Dent, LNER’s Safety and Operations Director, said:
LNER welcomes the news of investment in a new platform at Bradford Forster Square which will allow us to run more trains to and from the city.
Our timetable plans will be announced nearer the time, and need approval by the Department for Transport, but we would expect to see a big increase in the number of LNER services. It’s particularly exciting that the changes should happen during Bradford City of Culture 2025.

£24 million boost to deliver improved rail journeys in Bradford

New platform at Forster Square Station to increase rail services, reduce delays and better connect the city.

www.gov.uk

 

[Brissle Girl]

The “…and subject to future funding decisions” tends to be quite a key caveat in terms of usage of the new platform.

Did I miss the £500m to electrify the railway between Leeds and Bradford (I’m assuming they mean Interchange as obv the line to Forster Square is already wired.)

 

[Bob55G]

Taken from Bradford's local paper the Telegraph & Argus today (30/01/24):

Bradford station to get extra platform and more London trains in new £24m investment

BRADFORD Forster Square station will get an extra platform and up to five extra London services a day thanks to a £24m Government investment.

www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk

It will be interesting to see if this does go ahead, completion for the start of 2025 seems wildly ambitious if I'm honest. Frankly just getting those extra LNER services would be a massive step in the right direction!

Whilst on the face of it this seems like positive news, I cannot currently understand how this could be achieved. To the immediate West of the station is a steep embankment and retaining wall alongside platform 3 (which can only accommodate a four-car unit). To the East of the station is part of the Forster Square retail park, where an access road for delivery vehicles runs to the rear of the retail outlets and parallel to the railway.

In order to introduce an additional platform and associated trackwork there doesn't seem to be sufficient width available unless the access road is significantly narrowed in order to maybe squeeze another track and a short platform in.

The existing platforms 1 and 2 are long enough for the existing Kings Cross services, so no issues there.

 

[mm333]

Extend one of the shorter platforms with a set of points in the middle so trains can use platform xA and xB without there being any conflicts? Like platform 3 at Doncaster.

 

[waterboo]

I'm just stumped on how an earth a platform extension / new platform can amount to £24m !!!

 

[thejuggler]

Isn't this 'Back to the Future'?

I'm sure FS should have been fully redeveloped by now having been announced in 2017 before being delayed until Autumn 2023!

 

[waverley47]

I'm just stumped on how an earth a platform extension / new platform can amount to £24m !!!

Signalling and interlocking, new points, wiring, at least a week closure, piling, land take and the platform itself.

It's not as simple a job as a two platform cut and paste on plain line, and these costs quickly add up.

But yes, £24m sounds about £8m higher than what it should realistically cost.

 

[Flying Snail]

Whilst on the face of it this seems like positive news, I cannot currently understand how this could be achieved. To the immediate West of the station is a steep embankment and retaining wall alongside platform 3 (which can only accommodate a four-car unit). To the East of the station is part of the Forster Square retail park, where an access road for delivery vehicles runs to the rear of the retail outlets and parallel to the railway.

In order to introduce an additional platform and associated trackwork there doesn't seem to be sufficient width available unless the access road is significantly narrowed in order to maybe squeeze another track and a short platform in.

The existing platforms 1 and 2 are long enough for the existing Kings Cross services, so no issues there.

It's almost as if the 90's demolition of the original station and replacement with a tiny stub on the far corner of the site was not conducive to any future railway expansion needs, who'd have thought.

 

[Snow1964]

Whilst on the face of it this seems like positive news, I cannot currently understand how this could be achieved. To the immediate West of the station is a steep embankment and retaining wall alongside platform 3 (which can only accommodate a four-car unit).

The existing platforms 1 and 2 are long enough for the existing Kings Cross services, so no issues there.

Here is photo of station in transition to current 3 platforms (alongside 6 other platforms) which should help everyone understand the layout

Bradford Forster Square 30 years ago | AVRUG

It's almost as if the 90's demolition of the original station and replacement with a tiny stub on the far corner of the site was not conducive to any future railway expansion needs, who'd have thought.

That photo makes it obvious how small a part the current station is.

.

 

[Rikki Lamb]

It's almost as if the 90's demolition of the original station and replacement with a tiny stub on the far corner of the site was not conducive to any future railway expansion needs, who'd have thought.

Exactly. Could have made the original station smaller, sold a couple of platforms off to create a car park for the hotel like present and made a new entrance for the remaining platforms.

They'll be wanting to demolish Centenary Court office block and put the station back where it was next!

 

[Bantamzen]

Whilst on the face of it this seems like positive news, I cannot currently understand how this could be achieved. To the immediate West of the station is a steep embankment and retaining wall alongside platform 3 (which can only accommodate a four-car unit). To the East of the station is part of the Forster Square retail park, where an access road for delivery vehicles runs to the rear of the retail outlets and parallel to the railway.

In order to introduce an additional platform and associated trackwork there doesn't seem to be sufficient width available unless the access road is significantly narrowed in order to maybe squeeze another track and a short platform in.

The existing platforms 1 and 2 are long enough for the existing Kings Cross services, so no issues there.

I was thinking similar to your last thought, i.e. narrow the access road to the east and put in a platform a little longer than P3.

 

[30907]

I was thinking similar to your last thought, i.e. narrow the access road to the east and put in a platform a little longer than P3.

I am not sure that is feasible - it needs to provide LGV access to the stores

I thought the idea was to extend P3 to full length, but there seems from photos to be room for a 4th platform and track between the end of it and Hamm Strasse bridge, so maybe that is the idea (a bit like P17 at Leeds tacked on to the end of P16). It could probably take 4 cars only though.

A significant cost will be relocating the trailing crossover which is a full train's length towards Frizinghall (so it can be a run-round?). It is a significant constraint on using P1

 

[Andyh82]

It seems pretty unrealistic that this will all be done during the current calendar year

Normally it takes years to do the pre planning work and a few years to do the actual work.

 

[Rikki Lamb]

I am not sure that is feasible - it needs to provide LGV access to the stores

I thought the idea was to extend P3 to full length, but there seems from photos to be room for a 4th platform and track between the end of it and Hamm Strasse bridge, so maybe that is the idea (a bit like P17 at Leeds tacked on to the end of P16). It could probably take 4 cars only though.

A significant cost will be relocating the trailing crossover which is a full train's length towards Frizinghall (so it can be a run-round?). It is a significant constraint on using P1

I don't think there is enough room to make platform 3 full length without rather major earthwork to the retaining wall and hillside.

There is a small line of vegetation behind the retail park that could be used though albeit with a few layers. I reckon the platform could fit in there as there is also sufficient track space.

 

[SimplyLlama]

Taken from Bradford's local paper the Telegraph & Argus today (30/01/24):

Bradford station to get extra platform and more London trains in new £24m investment

BRADFORD Forster Square station will get an extra platform and up to five extra London services a day thanks to a £24m Government investment.

www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk

It will be interesting to see if this does go ahead, completion for the start of 2025 seems wildly ambitious if I'm honest. Frankly just getting those extra LNER services would be a massive step in the right direction!

Would 7 trains to London not wipe out Grand Central’s operation from Bradford Interchange? Apart from that this is great news, along with the planned extension of platform 4 at Shipley.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Is there actually a need for a fourth platform anyway?

For years platform three was used most of the day to stable a spare unit, with the longer pair of platforms able to cope with 2tph on each 'leg' of the triangle.

 

[Djgr]

"and subject to future funding decisions – this could result..."

Weasel words

 

[Bob55G]

Would 7 trains to London not wipe out Grand Central’s operation from Bradford Interchange? Apart from that this is great news, along with the planned extension of platform 4 at Shipley.

I wouldn't have thought so. The Grand Central services run via different locations in West Yorkshire (e.g. Halifax, Brighouse, Mirfield & Ponterfract).

Is there actually a need for a fourth platform anyway?

For years platform three was used most of the day to stable a spare unit, with the longer pair of platforms able to cope with 2tph on each 'leg' of the triangle.

A very good point indeed. If the main benefit is to be derived from being able to fully utilise all three existing platforms at Forster Square, then perhaps a compromise could be achieved by adding an additional track to the East side to be used for stabling only, rather than an extra platform as well. This wouldn't encroach much onto the retail park service road and should reduce expenditure well below the £24m mentioned.

 

[Andyh82]

Looking on Google earth, there seems to be a strip of land that is either bushes or car parking bays that could be removed to build the new platform

The actual service road for the retail park would be uneffected, they’d just lose some parking bays, but this wouldn’t effect the ability for a HGV to deliver to the shops

 

[bluenoxid]

Would 7 trains to London not wipe out Grand Central’s operation from Bradford Interchange? Apart from that this is great news, along with the planned extension of platform 4 at Shipley.

Depends on cost and the number of advanced tickets made available? Forster Square is not convenient for the majority of options for the last few miles of your journey compared to Bradford Interchange (current bus station closure notwithstanding)

Is there actually a need for a fourth platform anyway?

For years platform three was used most of the day to stable a spare unit, with the longer pair of platforms able to cope with 2tph on each 'leg' of the triangle.

I think the risk is you get into the peak and the Triangle is running out of sorts and the railways are left stuck.

 

[70014IronDuke]

What's this nonsense about "government investment"?

The government invests nothing whatsoever.

The government, any government of the day, decides to invest TAXPAYER's MONEY on whichever projects it decides to back.

Depraved journalism.

Sorry, Taxapayers' money.

 

[thejuggler]

New platform will be on the retail park side.

FS was large enough but they then changed the timetables and I'm sure it is now used for more stabling than previously. On the odd occasion I use it using services at different times it is rare to be on an empty platform.

 

[YorksLad12]

Signalling and interlocking, new points, wiring, at least a week closure, piling, land take and the platform itself.

It's not as simple a job as a two platform cut and paste on plain line, and these costs quickly add up.

But yes, £24m sounds about £8m higher than what it should realistically cost.

Google thinks there's four tracks (3 platforms, one siding) already...

If I was being daft(!) I'd say you'd need at least that much to move the island a few metres westward and relay the track, plus a platform on the retail park side. Or move the westernmost platform a bit further east, rebuild that platform and run track to the west of it, creating a new platform.

They're not going to do anything of the sort, of course. They'll build it out by Hamm Strasse, and make you walk the rest of the way...

 

[Arkeeos]

If they were planning to build a through station, that would likely replace the current station, then I would question what the point of this is.

There is plenty of room, you just have to get rid of some parking to the west.**

 

[stuu]

If they were planning to build a through station, that would likely replace the current station, then I would question what the point of this is.

There is plenty of room, you just have to get rid of some parking to the west.

That's Bradford Interchange, not FS

 

[MichaelTrains]

Is there actually a need for a fourth platform anyway?

For years platform three was used most of the day to stable a spare unit, with the longer pair of platforms able to cope with 2tph on each 'leg' of the triangle.

Yes because Northern currently stack trains on top of each other which is a ridiculous practice considering that the roof only goes so far down platforms one and two.

When you have an Azuma in platform one, the rest soon fill up.

Similar to the Interchange - it needs a fifth platform to cope with the current levels of service. Especially with the King Cross, Leeds, Hull, Manchester Victoria and the Huddersfield all leaving within 12 minutes of each other.

 

[Rikki Lamb]

It's going on the retail park side, Network Rail will have to buy some land British Rail sold. Construction to start in spring and be complete by the end of the year according to the newspaper article.

Must be getting built out of wood.

 

[swt_passenger]

Didn’t the 2016 ECML track access application include a 2 hourly service to Bradford FS anyway, so was that always going to be infrastructure dependent, because I don’t recall any mention of new platforms back then. Has the local timetable changed in the intervening years?